Prole Blog Threat: Abstract

pBt: A place to come to discuss/learn/pontificate about art, music, community and direct action. Read the entire mission statement in the archives. You can use the categories to hone in on subject you prefer.

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February 02, 2006

Oil Addiction? The proof is in the President.

Great article in the New York Daily News here. It's filled with nice little tidbits to wow your friends at your next party. Good ones like:

Bush's 700-mile trip to give his State of the Union encore speech in Nashville yesterday cost $19,594.25 in fuel alone just for Air Force One, according to government figures.

And little digs like:

President Bush is one of the biggest gas guzzlers in the country and his first stop to sell the idea of breaking the nation's oil addiction burned up thousands of gallons of jet fuel and hundreds of gallons of gasoline.

January 18, 2006

Hubris... meet the Constitution.

Hey W, you're about to meet the Constitution. George and crew had to see this coming. No, sorry. That's a big assumption there. Turns out their wiretapping order is going to actually get a serious challange. I just finished reading in Salon of a new suit against the NSA by the ACLU that does not include a guilty terrorist as a litigant. There goes the whole, "we're just tapping guilty evil-doers. If you're not a guilty evil-doer you have nothing to fear." defense of violating civil rights.

As it turns out, the ACLU's case is based on that fear. That the fear of speaking freely is in itself a violation of our civil liberties. And the client list includes a variety of litigants whose very operations and careers are impacted by the thought of someone listening in. Nice one. I hope it gets to the courts.

It's hard to embrace the ACLU most times. But today I'm reminded of why they have become so important in our world. Today they aren't representing a bunch crazy bald heads wanting to march through Cincinnati declaring their hate of everything non-White. Today they are representing a diverse group of Americans that not even Bill O'Reilly can question (OK that's not going to happen, but maybe no one will listen this time).

If you want to read what the ACLU is saying about this or to donate, click here. Myself, I need to find my credit card. I'm sure the NSA has a good idea where it is...

January 06, 2006

House Leadership Struggle: He said Boehner

John A. Boehner. No joke. For a party reeling in scandal, this is the guy they come up with!? Hitting this guy is going to be serious slow-pitch. No, check that - more like T-ball. He's now being named as DeLay's potential successor as leader of the House Majority (aka Conservative White Old Man's Club). You can seriously start preparing Viagra jokes now...make sure you use words like 'stiffen', 'upstanding', and 'firm'.

I may actually stay up for Letterman this week if Boehner (hee hee) gets 'hard' support and his position within the party continues to 'swell'. He could inject new blood into the 'impotent' leadership that the House 'members' have shown during the last few months. Goddess knows the House could use a little 'straightening up'. Hopefully the fact he looks like a 'dick' won't keep him from growing a bigger 'tent' within the conservative GOP.

January 04, 2006

W would be great at Calvin Ball, too!

So, if you aren't getting your way, change the rules.

According to UPI, W's sinister violation of our precious right to privacy began when he could no longer rely on the courts to give him permission to listen in on American citizens. Even though the bar for getting a legal permission to 'listen in' is really low (and can even be granted retroactively), the Bushzies still felt the need to bypass our legal protections in the name of public safety.

In addition, the data 'mined' by the NSA is being shared with other agencies. While I'm all for our security agencies getting their shit together and combining resources, I'm not for getting that information in one illeagal manner and then spreading that information around without public knowledge.

The lesson learned is this: If W can't overcome the absurdly low hurdle that is suppossed to be our legal right to privacy, then how can we trust him and his administration to use what information they do get responsibly? If you're reading this, you're not alone. Click away. Close your browser window. Make it look like you read this by accident. Because, we no longer can be assurred of privacy and right to free speech - whether we say it, write it, read it or listen to it.

December 18, 2005

"The" Perfect Season not relegated to "another" Perfect Season

F#ck yeah! Sorry Colts fans. If any one breaks that streak, I prefer it to be Manning - a real winner. Plus, It would be good to point to one person who broke all the "unbreakable" records the Dolphnins and Dan Marino hold. That keeps those records special. But, I still celebrated when the whiste blew on today's Bolts/Colts game.

I hold before you the '72 team yearbook - the bible in PBT household. "Thus spaketh Jim Mandich, "Touchdown Dolphins! Yeah Baby!"...

When did you stop caring?

OK - so the new BRMC record is really, really growing on me. i didn't like it when I first heard it. In fact, while being one of the best live acts you could possibly see, their records have been medicore byond the blistering eye-goggle popping "Love Burns" and the droning brilliance of "Ha Ha High Babe" (on the second record).

When I first listened to Howl, I thought it was their Stoned and Dethroned - an effort to get their wits about them and figure out what kind of songs they want to write.

But, I saw them live and they took this material and @#*$ kicked it! So, put on the headphones and really give this album a good listen. Do what you will with the jesus stuff, but "Howl" and "The Line" are true classcs. The haunting verse "when did you stop caring...?" will stick with me for a long time.